Cloths to hang on walls behind wash-stands, are now embroi-
dered with colors on coarse linen, edged with a coarse lace or
fringed. Chair tidies, toilet table-covers and sideboard cloth are
worked the same way. A sideboard cloth is made of coarse white
linen, long and narrow, with ends hanging well over the side. Work
only the ends. Draw out the threads to form small squares ; above
these lightly trace a braiding pattern, and work this in rather large
cross-stitch with coarse red flosette. The coarse worsted lace dou-
ble run with red ; a narrow pattern with cross-stitch worked run
along the whole length of the cloth.
Putting up Curtains. — When putting up curtains which are to be
draped, in a low room, put the cornice, to which the curtain is to be
fastened, close to the ceiling, even if the window is put in lower
down, as it gives the effect of greater height to the room. The cur-
tains meeting at the top will conceal the wall.
How TO Color a Pine Floor where Rugs are to be Used. —
Buy at any house-painter's store turpentine and linseed-oil (not
boiled). Ask them to put a little Japanese dryer in the turpentine.
Buy either burnt sienna or Vandyke brown, or both, according to
the color of the rugs and the tint on the walls. These colors come
MISCELLANEOUS HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. 569
put up in tin-cans, smaller but otherwise similar to tomato or fruit-
cans. After your floor has been washed thoroughly clean, is free
from dust, and dry, begin by opening your can and mixing, in an-
other receptacle, the oil, turpentine and paint. Remember, the oil
is to thin your paint, the turpentine to dry it. The mixture should
be so thin that it will run with liquid readiness. Lay it on with a
brush as thick as your hand, stroking the brush the way of the grain
of the wood. Protect your hands with old gloves, and go over the
floor with a rag. In fact you will need two rags, one pretty well
charged with paint, to rub in every crevice, and another rag to rub
ofi* any superfluous paint. Mind your stops, or, rather, put some
mind in the way you stop. Do not stop in a straight line across the
grain of the wood, but carry your brush irregularly down, taking a
hint from nature's lines in the wood you are preserving with paint.
By mixing the burnt sienna and Vandyke brown, you will secure a
rich color without needing to use the paint in a thick form. Your
mixture should be so thin that the grain of the wood will show
through. If you have too much turpentine, the paint will rub off.
If you have too little, your room will need more days to dry.
Twice as much oil as turpentine, certainly. Do not economize the
oil, and be as prodigal in rubbing as your strength will permit. To
keep the gloss on a stained floor wipe up the floor with diluted but-
termilk or sour milk.
Page 369
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Cloths to hang on walls behind wash-stands, are now embroidered with colors on coarse linen, edged with a coarse lace or fringed. Chair tidies, toilet table-covers and sideboard cloth are worked the same way. A sideboard cloth is made of coarse white linen, long and narrow, with ends hanging well over the side. Work only the ends. Draw out the threads to form small squares ; above these lightly trace a braiding pattern, and work this in rather large cross-stitch with coarse red flosette. The coarse worsted lace double run with red ; a narrow pattern with cross-stitch worked run along the whole length of the cloth.
Putting up Curtains. — When putting up curtains which are to be draped, in a low room, put the cornice, to which the curtain is to be fastened, close to the ceiling, even if the window is put in lower down, as it gives the effect of greater height to the room. The curtains meeting at the top will conceal the wall.
How TO Color a Pine Floor where Rugs are to be Used. — Buy at any house-painter's store turpentine and linseed-oil (not boiled). Ask them to put a little Japanese dryer in the turpentine. Buy either burnt sienna or Vandyke brown, or both, according to the color of the rugs and the tint on the walls. These colors come
put up in tin-cans, smaller but otherwise similar to tomato or fruitcans. After your floor has been washed thoroughly clean, is free from dust, and dry, begin by opening your can and mixing, in another receptacle, the oil, turpentine and paint. Remember, the oil is to thin your paint, the turpentine to dry it. The mixture should be so thin that it will run with liquid readiness. Lay it on with a brush as thick as your hand, stroking the brush the way of the grain of the wood. Protect your hands with old gloves, and go over the floor with a rag. In fact you will need two rags, one pretty well charged with paint, to rub in every crevice, and another rag to rub off any superfluous paint. Mind your stops, or, rather, put some mind in the way you stop. Do not stop in a straight line across the grain of the wood, but carry your brush irregularly down, taking a hint from nature's lines in the wood you are preserving with paint. By mixing the burnt sienna and Vandyke brown, you will secure a rich color without needing to use the paint in a thick form. Your mixture should be so thin that the grain of the wood will show through. If you have too much turpentine, the paint will rub off. If you have too little, your room will need more days to dry. Twice as much oil as turpentine, certainly. Do not economize the oil, and be as prodigal in rubbing as your strength will permit. To keep the gloss on a stained floor wipe up the floor with diluted buttermilk or sour milk.